SURPRISE, Ariz. – For the second straight day the OUAZ softball team was swept by a nationally ranked opponent in Golden State Athletic Conference action. Today it was No. 14 Vanguard that handed the Spirit an 11-3 loss and a 13-1 loss at Willow Canyon High School.
 
OUAZ has now dropped five straight games and they are 3-15 on the season. The Spirit are 0-7 in GSAC play. Vanguard improved to 15-3 and 7-1 in the conference.
 
GAME 1
First inning RBI from Emily Stebbins and Heliana Bueno, followed with Caitlyn Swisher's second inning RBI had the Spirit in from 3-0 through three innings. Vanguard responded with five two-out, unearned runs in the fourth inning to take the lead. The Lions added four more runs in the fifth inning and single runs in the sixth and seventh.
 
The Spirit recorded six of their seven total hits in the first two innings and all seven hits were singles. Miranda Davis and Sydney Saxton Siaki had two hits apiece with Davis scoring two runs and stealing two bases.
 
Alexandra McCutcheon (2-4) went 4.1 innings and allowed 11 hits and eight runs (three earned).
 
GAME 2
The second game saw the Lions blast three home runs and add four doubles as part of a 16-hit attack. They scored seven times in the top of the sixth, capped with a 3-run home run from Belle Herrera – her second of the game – to force a run rule.
 
Saxton and Stebbins each had two hits as the Spirit managed just six as a team. Bueno delivered an RBI double in the fourth for the Spirit's lone run.
 
Bailey Coronado (0-5) allowed five runs on five hits in 2.2 innings. Sabrina Jimenez also went 2.2 innings and she allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits.
 
UP NEXT
The Spirit will play a non-conference doubleheader against Roosevelt on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Willow Canyon High School.